Is This the Earliest Documented Professional Prize Fight Held in the Town of Pelham?

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Though difficult to imagine, the Town of Pelham once was one of the most popular havens for prize fights in the New York City region.  Bare-knuckled brawls were held in Pelham because it was so desolate, so difficult to reach at the time, and had no meaningful police force -- only a handful of Town Police Constables.  Consequently, a number of nationally-renowned prize fighters fought for large cash purses in the midst of crowds of gamblers, often in hotels or barns near Pelham Bridge on Shore Road.  

I have written about such prize fights on a number of occasions.  See, e.g.:

Mon., Jul. 17, 2017:  Rode a Horse to Death Getting to and From the Famous Yankee Sullivan Prize Fight in Pelham on August 29, 1842.

Fri., Mar. 17, 2017:  "One of the Fiercest" Prize Fights On Record Between Tommy Flannigan and Pete McCabe in Pelham on November 1, 1888.

Tue., Apr. 26, 2016:  Another Pelham Prize Fight: American Jim Larkin Defeated Englishman Bill Hook on June 27, 1889.

Wed., Jan. 27, 2016:  Yet Another Illegal Prize Fight in Pelham in 1887.

Wed., Jan. 20, 2016:  Another Exciting Account of 1884 Pelham Prize Fight Between Jim Murray of New York and Tom Henry of England. 

Wed., Nov. 04, 2015:  The Famous Nineteenth Century Prize Fighter Yankee Sullivan Fought in Pelham in 1842. 

Thu., Jul. 10, 2014:  Illegal Prize Fight in Pelham in 1902. 

Wed., Feb. 12, 2014:  Pelham Was the Scene of Illegal Prize Fights During the Early Days of the "Sweet Science" of Boxing. 

Wed., Mar. 23, 2005:  Prize Fighting At Pelham Bridge in 1884. 

Tue., Oct. 04, 2005:  Front Page of the May 12, 1902 Issue of The Pelham Republican (describing the fight between Joe Gleacher and Joe Kerwin held in the spring of 1902; Gleacher was found in Mt. Vernon after the fight and was arrested, although Kerwin apparently escaped to Philadelphia before his arrest).

When was the earliest organized prize fight held in Pelham?  Though it is not known with certainty, the earliest seems to have been a major fight between James Reed of Philadelphia and Thomas Barrett of New York City (known as "Long Tom") on June 8, 1835.  (Some accounts erroneously identified Barrett as "Samuel Barrett," his brother's name.)  The fight was a brutal bare-knuckled affair that lasted forty-seven or forty-eight rounds (depending on the account) and stretched for one hour and ten minutes.

The Queensbury Rules for prize fighting did not yet exist.  They were devised more than thirty years later in 1867 by John Graham Chambers of the Amateur Athletic Club in England.  The London Prize Fight rules established by the British Pugilists’ Protective Association did not yet exist either.  They were devised three years later in 1838 (and were revised in 1853).  Thus, the Reed-Barrett prize fight fought in Pelham likely was fought under the original set of prize fight rules devised by Jack Broughton in 1743.

The Broughton rules were fairly simple.  The rules were intended to protect fighters in the ring from death.  If a man went down during the fight and could not continue after a count of 30 seconds, the fight was over.  Hitting a fighter who was down was prohibited.  Although wrestling holds above the waist were permitted, grasping below the waist was prohibited.

The fight between "Long Tom" Barrett and James Reed was held on Hart Island just off the shore of City Island.  (Both islands were part of the Town of Pelham at the time and remained so until annexation by New York City in 1895.)  At the time Hart Island was virtually uninhabited.  Adjacent City Island had only about 400 to 500 residents.

Newspapers throughout the nation reported accounts of the fight, describing it as "a gallant and severe one."  Each of the fighters brought a large entourage including seconds.  

Immediately before the fight, there was a parlay during which those in attendance exchanged bets on the two prize fighters.  When the fight commenced, the two athletes immediately began pummeling each other.  Though the fight went either 47 or 48 rounds (depending on various accounts), it lasted an exhausting one hour and ten minutes.  One of the few descriptions of the progress of the fight stated:

"The fight commenced with a parley, was followed by blows, afterwards a smasher followed by claret, both went down -- afterwards rallied -- one caught a cross buttacher -- to'ther planted a knowing one -- Reed threw a somerset over the ropes -- both lost their wind -- Reed got a smasher in the bread-basket -- he also got a winder. . . ."

At the close of the 47th round, a dispute erupted between the entourages of the two fighters.  Some claimed it originated with the entourage, including seconds, of James Reed who seemed to be more worse off than his opponent, Long Tom.  The implications of the reports were that Reed was struggling and needed time to recover sufficiently to resume the fight.  In any event, the dispute devolved into a brawl between the two sides.  As the crowd brawled, they broke down the ring within which the fight was staged.  Cooler heads eventually prevailed.  Once order was restored and the rink was rebuilt for the completion of the fight, it was discovered that James Reed was "unable to come to time."  Long Tom Barrett was declared the victor.  

It may be hard to imagine Pelham as a center for the sport of prize fighting.  Yet, for decades during the mid- to late 19th century, the little town was precisely that.  It was desolate and dark with little law enforcement protection to interfere.  It was immediately adjacent to New York City but also outside the jurisdiction of New York City police.  Thus, Pelham repeatedly was the scene of famous fights including the June 8, 1835 fight between Long Tom Barrett of New York City and James Reed of Philadelphia.  

A Bare-Knuckled Prize Fight, Circa 1880's, Like Many

Prize Fights Held in Pelham Between 1835 and the Early
20th Century.  NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.

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"Another Pugilistic Encounter. -- A fight took place yesterday, at Hart's Island, 22 miles from New York, between James Reed, of Philadelphia, and Samuel Barrett, of this city.  The contest was a gallant and severe one, and lasted one hour and ten minutes, during which forty-seven rounds were fought.  At this stage of the affair, a row commenced; originating, it is supposed, with the partizans [sic] of Reed.  This was, however, quelled, after a short period, and the 'business of the day was resumed, when it was found that Reed was unable to come to time, and Barrett was declared the victor."

Source:  Another Pugilistic Encounter, N.Y. Transcript, Jun. 9, 1835, Vol. II, No. 108, p. 2, col. 2.  

"Pugilism.  --  Last week a regular match fight took place at Hart Island near Hell-gate, between Reed and Barrett, who by description must have been experienced prize fighters.  The fight is described in detail in some of the N. Y. papers.  They had 48 rounds, occupying one hour and ten minutes.  The fight commenced with a parley, was followed by blows, afterwards a smasher followed by claret, both went down -- afterwards rallied -- one caught a cross buttacher -- to'ther planted a knowing one -- Reed threw a somerset over the ropes -- both lost their wind -- Reed got a smasher in the bread-basket -- he also got a winder.  Barrett came off victorious.  At the close the ring was broken, and the seconds and all were fighting.  This prize fighting is a foreign fashion, lately introduced among us."

Source:  Pugilism, The Long-Island Star [Brooklyn, NY], Jun. 18, 1835, p. 2, col. 4 (NOTE:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).

"REED AND BARRETT.  --  In the same year, Jem [sic] Reed and Tom Barrett, alias Long Tom, of Philadelphia, fought at Hart's Island, but after some hard work, the ring was broken in, and a row ensued, which terminated the fight.  There was but little difference between them at the close of the fight."

Source:  "CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL PRIZE FIGHTS IN THE UNITED STATES" in The American Fistiana:  Containing a History of Prize Fighting in the United States, with All the Principal Battles for the Last Forty Years, and a Full and Precise Account of all the Particulars of the Great $10,000 Match Between Sullivan and Hye With Their Method of Training for the Fight, as Described by Patrick Timony, Esq., p. 29 (NY, NY:  H. Johnson, 1849).  

"THOMAS BARRETT THE BOXER -- Philadelphia, Nov. 12, 1858.  Frank Queen.  --  Dear Sir:  Although a careful reader of your paper, I recollect not seeing much about a gentleman whose rank as one of the best sparrers in the United States is unquestionable.  --  I allude to Thomas Barrett, Esq. of this city.  This omission may have proceeded from the fact that he now belongs to the olden time, and won his fame before the CLIPPER was instituted.  Permit me, therefore, to say something of him.  

Mr. Barrett, a native of London, came to Philadelphia, about the year 1832, and established a gymnasium in Market street near [illegible].  Soon after that I paid a visit to the establishment, then a novelty, to see 'the English [illegible].'  With his light complexion and ruddy cheeks, he looked at you; his stature was very tall, and he seemed an ox in strength.

The gymnasium became popular, was patronized by persons of high respectability, and recommended by a lot of physicians as the best medicine.  Samuel Barrett, an older brother, an excellent sparrer [remainder illegible]

Source:  THOMAS BARRETT THE BOXER, N.Y. Clipper, Nov. 26, 1858, Vol. VI, No. 31, p. 3, col. 2.  

"THE AMERICAN PRIZE-RING.
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Its Battles, Its Wrangles and Its Heroes.
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An Interesting Record of Fistic Sport in the Past.
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A Fight Which Lasted Two Hours and Fifty-Five Minutes and Embraced 1010 Rounds.
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COUNTRY M'CLOSKEY'S PLUCK.
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WRITTEN EXPRESSLY FOR THE NATIONAL POLICE GAZETTE, BY W. E. HARDING.
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(Continued.)

Abe Vanderzee and Frank Speight fought at Fort Washington, on the Hudson, near New York, on Sept. 26, 1837.  Fourteen rounds were fought in twenty minutes, and Abe was declared the winner.

George Owens, the Manchester Pet, an English pugilist, arrived from England in September.  He was matched to fight Jim Reed, of Cincinnati, who had defeated McLane and fought a draw [sic] with Tom Barrett.  The fight took place at Fort Washington, N. Y.; on Nov. 10, 1837.  Owens proved to be a first-class pugilist, and he whipped Reed in thirty-nine rounds, lasting one hour, forty minutes. . . ."

Source:  Harding, W. E., THE AMERICAN PRIZE-RING -- Its Battles, Its Wrangles and Its Heroes -- An Interesting Record of Fistic Sport in the Past -- A Fight Which Lasted Two Hours and Fifty-Five Minutes and Embraced 1010 Rounds -- COUNTRY M'CLOSKEY'S PLUCK, The National Police Gazette [NY, NY], Jun. 12, 1880, Vol. XXXVI, No. 142, p. 15, col. 1.  

"The men who competed in combative, 'ritualized, rule-bound, respectable spectacles' of bareknuckle boxing were likely workingmen of the traditionalist variety, demonstrating 'no fast and hard distinction between work and play.'  Unlike their revivalist counterparts, Philadelphia's traditionalist workers refused to label 'certain amusements as sinful,' indulging in a wide range of sporting pursuits, from hunting and fishing, to balloon launchings and cockfighting.  Spectator sports were particularly appealing to traditionalist artisans, permitting large groups of men to exercise communal masculinities vicariously by supporting a representative -- human or animal -- of their group.  Although cockfighting and dogfighting were popular amongst traditionalists, prizefighting was their spectator sport of choice.  Andy McLane was one of Philadelphia's earliest pugilistic heroes.  McLane's first recorded prizefight was his 1832 defeat of Jim Sanford on the outskirts of Philadelphia.  On May 7, 1833, McLane continued his pugilistic exploits, facing William 'Boss' Harrington, a New York City butcher, on neutral ground in Baltimore, Maryland, for one thousand dollars.  When it became apparent that Harrington would defeat McLane, however, the latter's followers tore down the ring, drawing their knives and pistols, to end the bout before Harrington could earn a decisive victory.  The violence surrounding the McLane-Harrington bout was exactly the sort of behavior that led many Philadelphians to demonize the prize ring, labeling it a source of immorality and vice.  While Lane's popularity in Philadelphia waned, sibling English boxers Tom and Sam Barrett were incorporating sparring into the activities offered at their local gymnasium.  When one of the Barrett brothers -- sources differ on which -- attempted to parlay his sporting popularity into a prizefight with Jim Reed of Cincinnati in 1836 [sic], however, the outcome was strikingly similar to the McLane-Harrington debacle, resulting in the destruction of the ring and a general brawl before a winner could be determined. 53  [Endnote 53, p. 250, states:  "Most historical works claim it was Tom Barrett who fought Jim Reed.  See, Timothy, American Fistiana, 29; National Police Gazette, June 5, 1880.  A resident of Pittsburgh, however, wrote the New York Clipper in 1858 claiming it was in fact Sam Barrett that fought Reed.  See, New York Clipper, November 20, 1858."]

The Barrett-Reed prizefight, staged at Hart's Island, New York, was likely facilitated by the advent of rail transportation between Pennsylvania and New York City.  In 1833, the Camden and Amboy Railroad provided relatively quick travel -- about nine hours, including a ferry and stagecoach -- between the Quaker and Empire cities.  While this new rail connection presented prizefighters with an array of potential fighting grounds, it also accelerated the formation of a more thoroughly class-based society in Philadelphia, dividing the population sharply between a working class of manual laborers and a middle class of non-manual workers.  Although the new railway connecting Philadelphia to New York increased demand for Philadelphian products domestically, the locomotive also ushered in an era of considerable industrialization. . . ."

Source:  Ross, Greggory M., Boxing in the Union Blue:  A Social History of American Boxing in the Union States During the Late Antebellum and Civil War Years, The University of Western Ontario Western Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies:  Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository, pp. 209-10 & n. 53 (Ontario, Canada:  May 2014) (certain endnotes omitted).  

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